Russian commanders could be ordered 'shoot' soldiers escaping service, according to UK Ministry of Defense

In a stunning intelligence brief, the UK Ministry of Defense today has claimed that Russia has approved the shooting of deserting and retreating soldiers from its ranks in the battlefields in Ukraine, The Guardian reports.

Russia's military is ill-prepared and is more likely to 'rout' than stay and fight

For most of autumn, Russia has faced numerous humiliating battle defeats in Ukraine. In places like Kharkiv Oblast, Russian troops performed a ‘rout’ where they fled the settlement to the surprise of the Ukrainian forces, The Drive reports.

A similar fate is expected in the city of Kherson, where Russia has already evacuated the civil population and has signalled a massive retreat of its forces from the west bank of the Dnieper river there, The Guardian reports.

Field punishment

The UK now believes that Russian Generals have been seeking to counter this trend by asking commanders to instruct soldiers to hold positions until their death or otherwise face shooting.

‘Recently, Russian generals likely wanted their commanders to use weapons against deserters, including possibly authorising shooting to kill such defaulters after a warning had been given. Generals also likely wanted to maintain defensive positions to the death. The tactic of shooting deserters likely attests to the low quality, low morale and indiscipline of Russian forces.’

Allegedly ‘barrier troops’ or ‘blocking units’ have been deployed, which in essence are Russian reinforcements that will hold accountable retreating or deserting soldiers.

These troops are reportedly authorised to perform ‘field punishment’, which is delivering a sentencewithout incarcerating soldiers or having them appear in front of a military court.

According to the Independent, these troops have been used previously by Russia in other conflicts.

Sources used:

-The Guardian: ‘Russia probably threatening to shoot retreating soldiers, says UK MoD’

-The Drive: ‘Russian Forces Flee Ukraine’s Kharkiv Offensive In Stunning Rout (Updated)’

-Independent: ‘Ukraine news – live: Russia threatening to shoot own retreating soldiers, says UK’